Top 5 Tips To Break Into Business Development Path

A solid business development is one of the most crucial aspects that will determine the growth of a company and help gain traction. Due to the competitive landscape, you need to be fully-equipped with good credentials and a string of soft skills and hard skills, in order to rise to the top. Find out the five best tips to break into the business development path in Malaysia:

Meet the basic requirement

For those who are keen on business development, one of the easiest ways for you to break into the industry is to gain some knowledge or experience in corporate sales or finance. For an entry-level position, the minimum requirement is a BS or a BA. For senior or upper management positions, an MBA might help, though you must have at least five or more years of working experience in sales or business development. In some cases you can skip all of these and start from the bottom by undergoing an internship, provided you have some knowledge and skills. If you aim to work at high-tech companies, it’s best to have a technical background.

Have solid soft skills and hard skills

To survive and thrive in the competitive landscape, you must always come fully-equipped with the right soft skills and hard skills. The seven skills you must always have if you want to work in business development are: business sharpness, computer skills, strategic analysis and research skills, project management skills, negotiation and persuasion skills, collaboration skills, and communication and interpersonal skills. If you’re solid in these skills, you’ll go places.

Get your foot in the door: internship

Whether you have a formal qualification or not, an internship could do wonders in paving your career path in business development. You get to learn the basics hands-on, such as gaining sponsors, creating marketing collateral, and forming partnerships with other companies, organizations, or institutions; and see whether you’re the right fit. If you excel during your internship, you’ll have more doors open for you, like getting a promotion as an assistant or a junior executive.

Be on the lookout for new opportunities

While interning, always keep your eyes and ears open. Try to mingle and network whenever you can. Also, if you’re visiting a business conference or event, talk to other exhibitors or participants. A lot of times the best employment opportunities are the ones that aren’t advertised. Ask for a company’s contact and hone your elevator-pitch info.

Reach out to the founders

Sometimes being bold makes you stand out in a positive light. Reach out to the founders of companies you’d like to work at. If done right, you may even be offered an amazing position by the company’s founder. Be tasteful when reaching out to them, and make sure it’s the right timing. Let them know of your missions that align well with the company’s.

Bear these tips in mind when you’re looking for sales & marketing jobs in Malaysia. If you lack any of the basic requirement or skills, find an alternative and look for ways to up-skill yourself. Though having a formal qualification could help you get in the door, it doesn’t completely determine your success in paving a career path in business development, as there are many others who break into the industry without a formal education. It all boils down to hard work.